“Go away winter!” is a common sentiment shared by the folks at Billings Lawn Equipment in Royal Oak. (Daily Tribune/DAVID DALTON)

The seasonal change from a long cold winter to a gradual spring thaw means a steady stream of phone calls to area businesses from homeowners looking to repair or upgrade their prized investment.

Gutters, downspouts, roofs, chimneys, masonry, heating and cooling, windows, and landscaping are just some of the areas that need attention from homeowners as spring sets in.

“In my life, I have never seen a winter this brutal,” said Brian Elias, owner of Hansons, which specializes in installation of windows, siding and roofing. “People are calling us in desperation.”

Hansons’ home repair business is so busy this spring that Elias said the company did not have enough employees on the schedule Tuesday to handle the onslaught of phone calls.

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“We are having the largest spring we’ve ever had,” Elias said. “We solve problems. People want to do business with a company they can rely on. We’re expecting our largest spring ever.”

Elias said homeowners are calling with problems ranging from ice dam build-up on roofs causing leaks, to leaky windows and skylights.

“What is happening is ice dams get underneath shingles and it tears gutters off homes,” he said. “The enemy typically isn’t the snow but ice. It’s no different than if you stuck a (water) bottle in the freezer — it would crack. Water gets under the shingles and brings disaster.

“A lot of people are surprised their house got hit so hard over a short period of time. Ice on roofs is similar to what ice does to roads. Roads crack because of ice.”

Elias said Hansons has over 500 employees, but not everyone can get service right away.

“We let customers know it will take longer if we have to handle emergency problems first,” he said. “Most people are understanding.”

Larry Messner of Messner Home Inspections in Madison Heights said with snow finally melting off rooftops, he can now perform his job to the best of his ability.

“With the snow off the roof, inspectors can get back on the roof,” Messner said. “I can’t evaluate a roof with the snow on it, but now I can give my client - a buyer or seller - a more accurate vision of the roof.”

Messner, who is a certified registered inspector with the National Association of Home Inspectors and American Society of Home Inspectors, said rooftops need attention after a long winter.

“I am looking for curling of shingles, loss of aggregate on shingles and patches of black on roofs that means it’s down to asphalt itself,” he said. “Once ultraviolet radiation gets to a roof, it won’t be long before it deteriorates.”

Messner said water in basements during winter time is a common occurrence.

“Because it snows and rains in the winter, the ground is frozen and when it rains the water has nowhere to go,” Messner said. “The soil is frozen and the water from rain ends up causing the foundation to leak and water ends up in basements.”

Messner said the problem can be avoided by following a few simple steps, including making sure the ground next to your foundation slopes away from the house. He advises homeowners to use fill dirt around the foundation – not soil.

“When you grade the foundation, look to use fill dirt, which is the cheapest stuff; and water will run on top,” he said. “Top soil is the worst material for grading purposes. Use fill to move water away from the foundation and to form a negative grade.”

Messner said downspout extensions are another cheap way to keep water away from the foundation of the home and avoid unnecessary costs.

“A house’s worst enemy is water,” Messner said.

One area that does need water is on the lawn. Billings Lawn Equipment in Royal Oak is now bracing for the spring rush for lawn mowers.

“We had a really good year for snowplows and sold through all our snow equipment, and now we’re hoping for the same (with lawnmowers) this spring,” said Rick Johnson, owner of Billings. “We have an open house for commercial cutters coming up, so the interest in equipment has already started.

“We expect a couple hundred landscapers to get their supplies for spring at the open house. We’re selling lawn mowers to homeowners and to some commercial people, too. From here on out, we’re busy doing equipment sales on a daily basis for the rest of the year.”

Billing has been in business since the 1940s. Johnson said his father purchased the store in 1962 and Johnson has been owner since 1985.

“Right now we’re doing a lot of pickup deliveries where we pick them (lawn mowers) up and get them ready for cutting season,” Johnson said. “We’ll stay busy for rest of the season starting last week and will continue on until the weather turns nasty again.”

Whether the chimney needs sweeping, the outside faucet needs tightening, or the gas grill needs repair, there’s always something a homeowner needs to address after a long winter.